Leicester addresses Warren Avenue drainage woes

By Susan Gonsalves, Correspondent

Thursday

Aug 22, 2019 at 10:19 PM

LEICESTER – After nearly two hours of discussion with about two dozen residents, the Board of Selectmen voted Thursday to get a quote from a third-party engineer to look at drainage problems in the Warren Avenue neighborhood.

Selectmen also agreed to have the building committee for the fire station attend their next meeting to consider using a $42,000 account balance for the fire station project toward the engineer.

But first, discussion ranged from taking a wait-and-see approach using a large sump pump-type system to putting a debt exclusion question or authorization to borrow article without an exact dollar amount on the town meeting warrant.

Highway Superintendent Dennis Griffin talked about walking through the area and setting up the pump with an idea of consistently staying ahead of any water that builds up through the winter and spring months.

Mr. Griffin said that he observed that an existing swale at ground level is overgrown with vegetation and has suffered from a lack of maintenance.

He noted that the town is restricted in what it can do because of ongoing litigation with developers of the fire station, a point Town Administrator David Genereux echoed.

Selectmen also said they need to know if the problem is with the design and construction of the retention ponds on the site, the water table, or something else.

But neighbors, frustrated with delays and non-action, pointed out that they can’t go out in their yards. They said their properties, although wet before, have been flooding badly since the fire station was built.

Warren Avenue resident Joel Hart said, “To put a Band-aid there is not helping us. This is not a trickle. This is tens of thousands of gallons of water … and a great sump pump is not going to work in the snow and ice.”

Other residents on Haberton Drive and Paxton Street spoke about the problems they are experiencing and suggested putting aside money to alleviate the situation.

Former Selectman Douglas Belanger of Haberton Drive said that the town knew this site was wet and “difficult,” and that the building committee assured them the project would enhance, not harm, the area.

“I feel they got misled,” he said of the neighbors.

Mr. Belanger also pointed out that it is unfair to make the residents wait until litigation is resolved before taking action.

He said that the neighbors’ quality of life and property values are impacted and they face possible medical issues because of mold. He said the town has to share part of the responsibility for the situation because they didn’t mitigate it during construction when there were “red flags,” with the ponds flooding.

Mr. Belanger suggested creating a town meeting article authorizing borrowing in anticipation of the work to resolve the issue.

“It would be a sign of faith to these people you stuck it to,” he said.

Dorothy Dudley, who also lives on Haberton Drive, made the suggestion that the town use money from the fire station account, about $42,000, for an engineer rather than more fire equipment.

Mr. Genereux was advised to talk to counsel about what can and cannot be done while there is pending litigation. He said it could be two months or five years before the matter is resolved. “There’s no real guarantee.”

Mr. Belanger noted that identifying the problem, finding a solution, getting an engineer and dealing with legal issues could all be done at the same time.

Discussion ensued about funding mechanisms in the future such as a debt exclusion, simple borrowing, or free cash transfer, with Mr. Genereux saying a warrant article to authorize borrowing up to a certain amount may be the most “available” route to take.

Selectmen Dianna Provencher and Sandy Wilson were not at the meeting, and the other members said they want the full board present when the issue is brought up again.

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